Preparedness Levels - How Prepared are You?

[AbandonAllHope]

When doing my Introduction from the template, I saw the question about "How prepared are you?". This reminded me of a list my friends and I compiled back in 2003. I don't know if there are standard "levels" of preparedness that people adhere to, but just for fun and discussion I am posting my old list. So feel free to help revise it if you'd like, and definitely post "What level are you at?"

The List:
=========

Breaks down into 4 Levels, that are based on a 4 Level categorization of the type of event you are prepared for. I include here the 4 Levels of disaster, and some of the disasters that fall under each category:


Level 1 - Disruption of Service
-ice storm/blizzard
-small scale blackout
-small flood
-small EQ

Level 2 - Pro-longed Disruption of Service
-tornado
-largescale blackout
-hurricane/large storm
-water contamination
-train/industrial accident
-natural gas disruption/fuel shortage
-famine/drought
-massive flood
-massive EQ

Level 3 - Extreme Societal Disruption
-financial collapse
-nuclear accident
-bio/chem terrorist attack
-nuclear terrorist attack
-conventional war
-martial law
-meteor strike small

Level 4 - Societal Collapse
-full nuclear war
-supervolcano
-meteor strike ELE

Then within each of the four levels, there is a further classification. A, B, and C. A person can have a rating at each of the four levels. (ie: 1a, 2a, 3b, 4c). Level D would be completely unprepared for disasters of that type.

-A: As prepared as on can reasonably be
-B: Actively Prepared for such an event
-C: Limited or no preparation
-D: (not shown) Completely unprepared for such an event.


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#THE LIST (How prepared are you?):
##############################################

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LEVEL 1
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1A

-Disaster preparedness kit.
-Food and Water for 1 week without rationing.
-Heating source

1B

-Useful supplies in an emergency
-Enough food and water around to survive a week.

1C

-no preparation, surviving because you have to


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

=-=-=-=-=-=-=
LEVEL 2
=-=-=-=-=-=-=
2A
-Food and water for 3 months without rationing
-Disaster preparedness kit
-Fuel and heating sources


2B
-A large store of water and moderate supplies of food
-useful supplies in an emergency
-some fuel and heating source

2C
-enough water and food to survive several months with
severe rationing
-some source of heat

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

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LEVEL 3
=-=-=-=-=-=-=

3A
-ability to produce and preserve enough food and
water to survive in real-time and through a winter
without external support
-a renewable source of heat
-no dependence on fuel or electricity except from
renewable sources
-long-term survival preparedness kit

3B
-some ability, and stored knowedlge necessary to
produce and preserve enough food and water to survive
in real-time and through a winter
-a renewable source of heat
-no dependence on fuel or electricity except from
renewable sources
-long-term survival preparedness kit

3C
-some ability/knowledge in growing your own food and
preserving food to survive a winter, and obtain water
-limited dependence on fuel or electricity
-long-term survival preparedness kit

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

=-=-=-=-=-=-=
LEVEL 4
=-=-=-=-=-=-=

4A (Generally this would recquire a community)
-proven through actual experience to be able to hunt
for enough food to survive
-able to make own hunting tools without any supplies
-knowledge of eatable plants and sources of water
-able to build a house with no supplies
-survival training
-library of human knowledge(for skills you lack)

4B
-able to build basic shelter with no supplies
-able to forage for food and hunt with hunting tools
-knowledge of eatable plants and sources of water
-some survival training
-some stored human knowledge(for skills you lack)

4C
-BOV+BOB
-stored survival knowledge(for skills you lack)

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##################################################




As for me
Back when I made this list, I rated myself a:

1A, 2A, 3C, 4C


Enjoy and discuss

[Ken]

Break down "THE LIST" into it's individual items and I can answer much better. IMHO, some of the questions should be broken down into component parts.


=-=-=-=-=-=-=
LEVEL 1
=-=-=-=-=-=-=
1A

-Disaster preparedness kit. YES
-Food and Water for 1 week without rationing. YES
-Heating source YES

1B

-Useful supplies in an emergency
-Enough food and water around to survive a week.

1C

-no preparation, surviving because you have to


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

=-=-=-=-=-=-=
LEVEL 2
=-=-=-=-=-=-=
2A
-Food and water for 3 months without rationing YES
-Disaster preparedness kit YES
-Fuel and heating sources YES

2B
-A large store of water and moderate supplies of food
-useful supplies in an emergency
-some fuel and heating source

2C
-enough water and food to survive several months with severe rationing
-some source of heat

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

=-=-=-=-=-=-=
LEVEL 3
=-=-=-=-=-=-=

3A
-ability to produce and preserve enough food and water to survive in real-time and through a winter without external support YES
-a renewable source of heat YES
-no dependence on fuel or electricity except from renewable sources NO - LONG TERM, YES, BUT NOT RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY - NOT YET
-long-term survival preparedness kit YES

3B
-some ability, and stored knowedlge necessary to produce and preserve enough food and water to survive in real-time and through a winter
-a renewable source of heat
-no dependence on fuel or electricity except from renewable sources
-long-term survival preparedness kit

3C
-some ability/knowledge in growing your own food and preserving food to survive a winter, and obtain water
-limited dependence on fuel or electricity
-long-term survival preparedness kit

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

=-=-=-=-=-=-=
LEVEL 4
=-=-=-=-=-=-=

4A (Generally this would recquire a community)
-proven through actual experience to be able to hunt for enough food to survive YES, UNDER "NORMAL CONDITIONS" - NEVER TRIED IT AFTER A SUPER-VOLCANO JUST BLEW UP OR A NUKE EXPLODED AND WITH 50,000,000 COMPETITORS OUT THERE
-able to make own hunting tools without any supplies YES - FISHING, TOO
-knowledge of eatable plants and sources of water YES - IF ANY SURVIVED
-able to build a house with no supplies NOT LIKE THE ONE I HAVE NOW - PLEASE DESCRIBE WHAT A "HOUSE" WOULD BE UNDER SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES, ASSUMING THE NUKE, SUPER-VOLCANO, OR METEOR/ELE DIDN'T BURN EVERYTHING TO A CRISP
-survival training YES
-library of human knowledge(for skills you lack) YES

4B
-able to build basic shelter with no supplies YES
-able to forage for food and hunt with hunting tools YES
-knowledge of eatable plants and sources of water
-some survival training
-some stored human knowledge(for skills you lack)

4C
-BOV+BOB
-stored survival knowledge(for skills you lack)

[AbandonAllHope]

thanks for the response ken, as i said, this was mostly cut and paste, and definitely in need of revision and improvement. I am at work right now so i cant go through and edit it. But i like the suggestions you made and will edit it more tonight.

You have some impressive yes answers on there as well btw

[doug1980]

Ummmm well I'm not that prepared. Maybe I need to step it up a bit and get my butt in gear. My biggest issue has always been that I never stay in a place more than a few years. I'd say for the past 10 years half of my stuff stays in boxes, mostly sentimental stuff that I seldom need or use. Not to mention I have stuff spread out over three States and can't bring myself to buy stuff I already have even if it is 4,000 miles away.

[Rick]

I'll be okay if I don't get a hangnail. I'm never prepared for those. Hate 'em.

[Ken]

thanks for the response ken, as i said, this was mostly cut and paste, and definitely in need of revision and improvement. I am at work right now so i cant go through and edit it. But i like the suggestions you made and will edit it more tonight.

You have some impressive yes answers on there as well btw

Please consider the fact that if one were to survive a "LEVEL 4" scenario (say you were in a cave or submarine - Crash's choice - when it happened) it is very likely that all resources, even raw materials, one would need, could all have been destroyed by heat/fire or blown to bits or buried under several meters of ash/debris or contaminated, like open water would be after a super-volcano poisoned the supply.

[Rick]

Oh, Paaaaalease. It's so easy to say, "Yep, I'm prepared for a full scale nuclear war. Bring it on." Sure you are, George. Where did you test that little plan out at? You haven't tested it? Really? Well, come on back and we'll talk after you've tested it at level 3 and 4.

[AbandonAllHope]

Please consider the fact that if one were to survive a "LEVEL 4" scenario (say you were in a cave or submarine - Crash's choice - when it happened) it is very unlikely that all resources, even raw materials, one would need, could all have been destroyed by heat/fire or blown to bits or buried under several meters of ash/debris or contaminated, like open water would be after a super-volcano poisoned the supply.

indeed, the original creation of that list was to try and be complete. In an event of that magnitude, ones location, and luck, would likely be the largest factors in survival.



About your house comment, in that category. I think the original idea was to differentiate from a survival shelter. So, something like a Log cabin (as opposed to a lean-to, A-frame, etc) would qualify. The idea being a permanent shelter. At the time I wrote the list, i think was thinking more of pioneering type farmsteads as well. A lot of it would have to do with your terrain, mud adobe, field stone farmstead, log cabin in the woods.

The ultimate survival situation, in the SHTF level 4 type event, would be making your bug out location, into your new home. Could you bug out to the woods with enough gear and provisions, to build a log cabin, etc etc.

[AbandonAllHope]

Oh, Paaaaalease. It's so easy to say, "Yep, I'm prepared for a full scale nuclear war. Bring it on." Sure you are, George. Where did you test that little plan out at? You haven't tested it? Really? Well, come on back and we'll talk after you've tested it at level 3 and 4.

This wasnt meant to cause arguments :|

Also, those things like a nuclear war, etc, or even the smaller ones, like a icestorm, arent what defines the levels. Those were just attempts at listing situations that create different levels of necessary survival.



Level 1 = FEMA hurricane recommendations
Level 2 = Good quality preps for several months of "toughing it out" (Bug-in)
Level 3 = Bug-out for extended time, or living in poverty through a 1920s dustbowl/Great Depression type sceneraio
Level 4 = Permanent Bug-out, dont come home until long after the dust settles.

Thats the general idea, and then listing what supplies or skills apply to each scenario.

I have seen the Les Stroud vs Bear Gyllis debate thread. If any of you know Les Stroud'd documentary snow shows & solitude from his year long honeymoon living in the bush with nothing, thats level 4, and he is doing it with virtually no supplies. So everything can be done, and i dont know who is capable of doing what, and wasnt trying to start that kind of a debate.

I was more loooking for people to say: You should add this to the list, what about this scenario? I have these types of supplies for that....

etc etc etc

[doug1980]

Ken you are like the "Survivorman" of Lawyers. Who woulda thunk it.

[Ken]

In my previous life, before becoming a lawyer, I was a human being, too.

[oldsoldier]

Welllllllll....... I dunno Hey Rick or Poco, Crash, pvg, hoosier. What do you think my level would be from what ya saw at jamboree???

[pocomoonskyeyes]

@ abandonallhope don't worry you aren't starting any fights...heated discussion maybe this is all "normal" whatever that is. and those are suggestions you just have to read between the lines. Some of these people are Professional Survival consultants, teachers, instructors etc. and have heard some WILD stuff thrown their way.So after the 9,000th time they get a little frustrated and can get just a tad bit crabby, It's cool, Refine what you are talking about is all they're saying. Not many if any would survive an all out nuke confrontation.That's why it's referred to as MAD(Mutually Assured Destruction) Not many can afford to build a shelter to withstand that scenario, so how well you are prepared is a moot point. But if you think along the lines of "Red Dawn" that's a little different.
To oldsoldier- I dunno I didn't see it all!!! But I would say you are prepared well enough, and leave it at that.

[Rick]

Who's arguing? I know I'm right when I say a meteor, a nuclear war or a super volcano will just crush you to bug dust. A nuclear accident or a small meteor strike will have you glowing like a night light. You just wait 'till one happens. Then I'll say, "See, I told you so."

[chiangmaimav]

I believe I am prepared enough for the level 1 and 2 events and believe it is easier to do so here than in many parts of US as it is hot and there is a great deal of uninhabited jungle with plenty of food and water available. I don't know about nuclear wars and meteors though. I think everyone is pretty much screwed then. I am not sure surviving this would be such a great deal if you know what I mean, but since this is about survival I guess I should not say that. It is just that for me personally living in Thailand, which may not be on the target list in a nuclear war, perhaps one could survive here, but since all my family is back in America I would not really want to. However I learned back in the fifties and sixties, when I was in grade school, it is easy to survive a nuclear attack. You just get under a desk and put your arms over your head.

[crashdive123]

Welllllllll....... I dunno Hey Rick or Poco, Crash, pvg, hoosier. What do you think my level would be from what ya saw at jamboree???

I'd say you're doing just fine.

[SARKY]

I'm holding straight A's through level 3. Level 4 however, super volcano or large impact asteroid are pretty much unlivable where as a nuc exchange is survivable just so long as you aren't at ground zero.

[Rick]

AAH - All kidding aside...The important thing in all this is you have a list and you are ranking your preparedness. That's a great thing. I doesn't matter what's on the list as long as it's right for you!!

[AbandonAllHope]

AAH - All kidding aside...The important thing in all this is you have a list and you are ranking your preparedness. That's a great thing. I doesn't matter what's on the list as long as it's right for you!!

Well, I think you misunderstood me, i didnt feel you were arguing with me, i felt you were disputing what the other poster said. The list was made with the intention of being complete, right on up to the most extreme.

That's not to say I would ever reach such a level, nor have the time to even do so. Level 3 type surviving, is essentially pioneer living, which I think all people should be capable of doing. Not because they have to, but because they enjoy learning the skills, and have them should the need ever arise.

As i already said, surviving those super extreme situations has a lot to do with geography and luck. Obviously if the event is big enough to kill everything, no one survives. But the point of bugging out, is to leave BEFORE the event happens, if possible.

Nuclear war obviously isnt the threat it once was. But even that, geography plays a big part. In your area you'd have to have an extreme shelter. Where I live one could in theory "get out of the way" by going north into the 1000s of kms of forest, if you had the skills to live up there. Would the eskimos get wiped out by a supervolcano or nuclear war lol, who knows. Certainly they'd have a much better chance then some living in central USA.

[AbandonAllHope]

I'm holding straight A's through level 3. Level 4 however, super volcano or large impact asteroid are pretty much unlivable where as a nuc exchange is survivable just so long as you aren't at ground zero.

, thanks for contributing an answer in the spirit of the original post